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Arizona Congressman Responds to Arizona Liberty on National Monument Issue

breaking news logoSedona AZ (November 2, 2015) – Representative Dr. Paul A. Gosar (AZ-04) plans to introduce legislation this Thursday, November 6, 2015, to reform the 1906 Antiquities Act and stop its continuing abuse. This legislation will update the 1906 Antiquities Act to ensure local community interests, as well as private property rights and water rights, are protected.

National monuments can be powerful symbols of our nation’s historical and natural heritage. Unfortunately, there is a long and shameful list of abuses of the Antiquities Act whereby Presidents of both parties far exceeded the intent and letter of the 1906 law. Presidents on either side of the aisle shouldn’t have unilateral authority to create massive new national monuments by executive fiat without local public input. It is, after all, the people living near these national monuments who will be the most affected by their creation. These folks deserve to have a strong voice regarding the use of public land near their communities.

President Obama has exceeded the intent of this law and abused the Antiquities Act more than any other American president. To date, he has designated or expanded 19 national monuments, and these designations have locked up more than 1.25 million acres of land. Unfortunately, he isn’t done yet, and we can expect several more overreaching designations in the next 14 months.

Unilateral designations that circumvent Congress typically result in devastating consequences for local communities that negatively affect their future economic prosperity. Designations under the Antiquities Act don’t have to follow the environmental process required under NEPA and also aren’t required to solicit public input prior to declaration. For every new acre claimed for the federal government, there is an acre of private land lost. Such actions exacerbate challenges for our local governments to fund things like education, as lands that are added to the federal rolls can no longer be taxed.

Furthermore, national monument designations under the Antiquities Act typically have significant consequences that negatively impact grazing rights, water rights, wildfire prevention, and other land management activities. These declarations typically result in some of the most restrictive land-use regulations possible and also greatly impact hunting, fishing, OHV, and other recreational activities.

gosar

The bill contains six commonsense provisions, the majority of which have had broad, bipartisan support from members of Congress in the past:

  • Requires written consent from private property owners before including their private property (H.R.1459 last Congress)
  • Ensures declarations don’t increase the amount of funds appropriated in any fiscal year. (H.R. 1459 last Congress)
  • Prohibits designations in counties with significant local opposition. (Hardy-Gosar amendment to H.R. 2822 this Congress)
  • Water Rights language that ensures designations don’t negatively impact private water rights. (S.1416 this Congress)
  • Limits designations under this Act to 5,000 acres or less. (Mirrors provision in H.R. 1459 last Congress)
  • Requires local consultation and concurrence before declarations. (Mirrors concurrence language in H.R. 1555 this Congress)

In the West, where the majority of land is locked up by the federal government, the American people need to have a voice before an authoritarian swipe of the pen bars them from even more of their land.

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25 Comments

  1. This might be an answer. Even if he’s a Republican.

  2. To All Readers at The Eye:

    Before tomorrows House vote on Congressman Gosar’s 1906 Antiquities Reformation Bill, today he accomplished the successful vote upon the below mentioned House bill…

    Release from the Office of U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar:

    Penny L. Pew
    District Director & Intergovernmental Affairs
    Office of Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S.
    6499 S. Kings Ranch Rd, #4
    Gold Canyon, AZ 85118
    (480) 882-2697 office
    (928) 308-2033 cell

    Begin forwarded message:

    From: Congressman Paul Gosar Rep.Paul.Gosar@mail.house.gov>
    Date: November 5, 2015 at 12:07:25 PM MST
    To:
    Subject: House Approves Gosar Amendment Preventing EPA Obstruction of Critical Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects

    For Immediate Release Date: November 5,2015
    Contact: Steven D. Smith, Steven.Smith@mail.house.gov

    House Approves Gosar Amendment Preventing EPA Obstruction of Critical Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects

    “Despite not being a primary reviewing or permitting agency, intentional actions from the EPA continue to impose unnecessary permitting delays and kill jobs through the country”

    WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after the House approved his amendment early this morning which will greatly assist with streamlining the federal permitting process for Critical Infrastructure and Economic Development Projects, and attached it to the Senate Amendments to H.R. 22, the Developing a Reliable and Innovative Vision for the Economy Act (DRIVE) Act:

    “The EPA’s reign of obstruction and incompetence continues to impose costly new regulations that defy commonsense and threaten thousands of good-paying jobs across the country. Despite not being a primary reviewing or permitting agency, intentional actions from the EPA continue to impose unnecessary permitting delays and kill jobs through the country. Our communities can’t afford to have critical infrastructure projects sabotaged by an agency that does not share the same values and priorities as the American people.

    “If the intent of the Federal Permitting Improvement Council established by this bill is to actually improve the federal permitting process, then the EPA, which is not a principal permitting or reviewing agency, should not be allowed a vote to obstruct the expedited process for projects that already have a $200 million investment. Fortunately, my colleagues in the House agreed and I was pleased to see unanimous support for my amendment that will assist with the creation of thousands of jobs across the country if enacted into law. Today was a win for commonsense and put the EPA on notice that Congress and the people of this great nation will fight back against the agency’s continued overreach.”

    Background:

    H.R. 22 establishes a new Council for the purpose of helping streamline the federal permitting process. As constructed, the EPA is given far too big a voice on this Council—an EPA that is known for being the primary obstructionist to every significant infrastructure and economic development project in the United States. The Gosar Amendment to the Senate Amendments to H.R. 22 will assist with streamlining the federal permitting process by decimating EPA influence in the process as well as preventing this rogue agency from having a vote on the Federal Permitting Improvement Council.

    It is important to note that nothing in the Gosar amendment prevents the EPA from being invited to be a participating or cooperating agency and providing information throughout this process to the Council. The Council established by this bill will be compromised by a minimum of 16 members and it takes a vote by the majority of members of the Council in order for a covered project to be entitled to expedited review. Covered projects are essentially defined in the bill as those projects with investments of $200 million or more. A new report issued by the National Association of Environmental Professionals released last week found, that “It took agencies an average of 1,709 days to get from a notice of intent — the first step in preparing an EIS — to publication of a final EIS…That’s four days longer than the previous record set in 2013 and up from fewer than 1,200 days in 2000.”

    In January 2014, the EPA sent a letter to Wyoming couple Andy and Katie Johnson claiming that the stock pond they built on their own property violated the Clean Water Act. The EPA threatened the couple with fines of $75,000 per day, even though these homeowners received approval from the state and their permit was in good standing.

    The nonpartisan Congressional Research service reports that the EPA has continuously abused its veto authority by blocking permits that were already approved by the primary agency, the Corps of Engineers. EPA vetoes of Section 404 permits have occurred at least 13 times. These continued abuses and agency overreach are only a foreshadowing of things to come under the EPA’s new Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule.

    The Gosar amendment is endorsed by: Eagle Forum, Americans for Limited Government, Concerned Citizens for America, Arizona Department of Transportation, *Arizona Liberty*, Arizona Small Business Association, the Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce, Gila County Cattle Growers Association, the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce, La Paz Stockmen’s Association, New Mexico Cattle Growers’ Association, New Mexico Wool Growers, New Mexico Federal Lands Council, Town of Fredonia and Veritas Research.

    Washington, DC Office
    504 Cannon HOB
    Washington, DC 20515
    Phone: (202) 225-2315 Kingman
    220 N. 4th Street
    Kingman , AZ 86401
    (By Appointment Only) Prescott
    122 N. Cortez Street, Suite 104
    Prescott, AZ 86301
    Phone: (928) 445-1683 Gold Canyon
    6499 S. Kings Ranch Road #4
    Gold Canyon, AZ 86118
    Phone: (480) 882-2697

    JRN

  3. Robert O says:

    Oh Ricky you’re my man! Go Ricky Go Ricky.

  4. I’m withdrawing support from the Verde Greenway.

  5. Tea party mentality according to the smartest man in the verde valley…

    The EPA. As well as the Sierra Club are out to screw you!!
    More paranoid talk from Sedona’s own Ego maniac Little Rick..

    The Feds are out to get you..

  6. Wash Post covers Dr. Gosar and gives him credibility.

  7. E. Reece says:

    post leans left what gives

  8. Al says:

    LOOKKEEEE WHAT I FOUND ___ HEY LOOKKKEEE WHAT EYE FOUND _____guess they were paying attention and we weren’t_______????

    Sedona AZ (December 31, 2009) – Keep Sedona Beautiful, Sierra Club-Verde Valley, Democrats of the Red Rocks, Big Park Regional Coordinating Council, and Sedona Village Business Association have announced their alliance as a coalition to advance legislation to designate 160,000 acres of the Coconino National Forest a National Scenic Area (NSA). The Coalition represents over 7,000 citizens in the Greater Sedona Area. Almost 5,000 people have signed petitions supporting the NSA designation.

    The purpose of the proposed legislation is to…

  9. purpose commenter? keep Sedona great!

  10. J. J. says:

    I’m a bit surprised at the lack of comments here regarding the recent bit of “yellow” journalism in last Sunday’s AZ Republic regarding the National Monument. There were so many untruths, half-truths, omissions and lies that I could barely get through the article. Why did the writer not mention how Rep Ann Kirkpatrick pulled her support for the monument in the wake of the non-support by the people in the area? Why did the writer not mention how OHalleran was using the proposal as political grandstanding for his upcoming run for the Senate? The entire beginning of the article was clearly in support of the monument, and the questions the people have about why it is such a BAD idea are never really examined. It’s true that not many read the Sunday newspaper, but it did plug the Sedona Eye, which is why I keep expecting a response to the story. The story sucked big time. Could it be that the hired KSB consultant wrote or hired a writer for the story? It wouldn’t surprise me.

  11. Steve Segner says:

    A right leaning paper for the National Monument and you say “yellow” journalism perhaps just good reporting,,,,
    ss

  12. Stupid here was trying to figure out why I couldn’t recall a former mayor of Sedona by the name of “Dick Morris.” Fortunately someone with more insight suggested the reporter must have meant “Dick Ellis.”

    Oh well, just another example of this sensational but delayed news story that generally and definitely did NOT relate how the story unfolded locally.

    The one bit of truth, however, is that Pres. Obama will have the final say and a signature by him from one of his numerous pens on a Declaration, contents of which will be at his discretion, will decide the future and fate of Sedona.

  13. I Think the newspaper article was a well written “unbiased “bit of reporting unlike some of the so called reporting (ESM) on SE..

    As for “Yellow Journalism” that award goes to the TeaParty/AZ Liberty propaganda.

  14. A.J. says:

    @West Sedona Resident, of course the article would be to your liking since it was slanted to your way of thinking. You will love it even more when Obama issues the official national monument declaration to include either toll booths to enter or auto-free designation along with a “Sanctuary Pilgrimage Site” at the Dells. After locals are driven out because of worthless property values you and the rest of your socialist friends will have achieved your goal.

  15. @AJ

    Know that sounds very much like a “yellow Comment”.
    Thank you for proving my point.

    Merry Xmas also

  16. The only thing West Sedona Resident contributes to this site is personal attacks on those she obviously detests. Too bad she’s unable to offer something constructive. Too bad it won’t be people like her that stand to be driven out after this place is designated a National Monument instead of those of us that have struggled to stay here and make a living. Those are the folks that should return to the far left Liberal way of life back in New York from where they came. They are already turning this small government into a mini Washington DC, providing benefits to those who choose to not work and earn their way.

  17. @ Jerry

    Change happens all the time…you know that there use to be black and white tv’s, had to make a phone call on a landline, gas use to cost under a dollar..

    Change happens all the time so stop your crybaby sniveling.. Btw your comment was “yellow”

    Btw Merry Xmas

  18. WSR = Apparently you are much older than I which therefore quite possibly explains your stupidity. So you think a National Monument designation will be a good thing? We shall see – or maybe only others will be the ones to suffer since due to your obvious advanced age you will probably be serving time elsewhere. We should be so lucky. Further, your reference to the color “yellow” is extremely discriminatory.

    Happy Holidays to you, Madam. I do not observe Christmas but honor the occasion as it provides an opportunity to spread joy and goodwill. But those like you just don’t get it. Your conspicuous lack of political correctness is another indication of attempting to cover up your true identity. You can run but you cannot hide.

  19. Sounds like your older than Sedona, from the age of Mellow Yellow.

    You probably did to many hallucinogenic drugs in the 1960s and having those long term effects.

    Lost your ability to reason, remember and grasp reality.

  20. @ jerry

    Obviously you didn’t see you tea party/az liberty buddy JJ ‘s comment above about yellow journalism … You have just made another Yellow comment and don’t have any rationale common sense only hysterics…

  21. Darryl Z says:

    I read the Sunday article in the AZ Republic. It was the worse writing by the newspaper that I’ve seen in a long long time. Nothing was accurate except there’s opposition to the National Monument.

    @west Sedona resident, FYI: Yellow journalism, or the yellow press, is a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate well-researched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers. Techniques may include exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, or sensationalism. See also the article in question.

  22. @Darryl Z

    I know what it means…..

    Merry Xmas

  23. I read the dec 6 article about Sedona’s monument controversy and it saddens me. I always assumed Sedona was a monument and it gob-smacks me and my coworkers and family that the residents that do a great job to protect Sedona are being run over by those special interest groups wanting to turn it over to the government. We, I’ve loved Sedona for years. Don’t upset the apple cart!

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